Saturday, April 28, 2012

Washing Your Car Regularly.. Why?
Aside from the
obvious of having a car that looks great, car washing can protect the
cars finish. Bird droppings and bug splatter can get to be real
relentless at different times. Also air bourne contaminant( some we
can't even see), all wage a consistent and prolonged attack on your cars
finish.
Bug splatter for instance, have acids and particles in
them that can eat away at the clearcoat of your car, making it
susceptible to rust.The metallic particles that come off the rotor as
well as brake dust with its adhesive properties from the factory, and
tar, all do damage to your cars paint.
So how can we stop the culprits right in there track, by washing our vehicles regularly!How and Where To Start
I
don't know if you knew this or not, but most of the swirl marks we see
on our car is from washing the car. I know you have seen one of those
dark colored cars that look real good at a 30000 ft view. However when
you get up close it is riddled with swirl marks. They kinda look like
cookies.
Why this knowledge is important is that it helps us all
to realize, that even though washing a car seems so simple, What is
often overlooked is that there is a right and a wrong way to do it. That
is the first place to start is with this understanding.
I like to
start out by finding products that will not scratch the paint. I use a
chenille wash mitt, or a microfiber one. They both do a great job at
pulling the dirt away from the paint and holding it in there fibers so
that it does not scratch the paint.
Please don,t use dish washing
liquid to wash your car with, why? Dish detergent has properties in it
that strip the paint of the oils it needs to keep from drying out. So
use a good car wash shampoo to wash the car with. I use Meguiars Soft
Gel, its ph balanced with no detergents, and has lubricants in it that
bring out the gloss in the paint finish.Washing the Car
Because
I do not want those swirl marks on my car, or any car I work on. I use
more than one bucket to do my car washing. I recommend to do it that way
if you can, cause after you make a pass with the wash mitt its gona be
dirty. Instead of constantly washing with the water hose, just dip it in
the bucket of fresh water to remove the dirt then back in the soapy
water.
With that said, as always I like to wet down the car real
good with water to remove what I can before I start car washing and you
should too, it gets of some the dirt that I would otherwise have to.(I
know call me lazy) Also before you suds away, this is a good time to
remove any bugs and tar using a bug and tar remover. Gold Class Bug and
Tar Remover is the way to go here.
Then begin by cleaning and
doing the Wheels and Tires. I have written an article on that for you,
so if you want to start with the article before moving on.
Using a
soapy sponge, and with the car wet down apply the bug and tar remover
going over the car until you get all those unsitely trouble spots. After
you are finished, rinse area with water.
Starting at the Top of
the vehicle go ahead start to wash the car, taking a moment between
passes to rinse the car off, as you work your way down from the top to
the moldings.
Remember clean the wash mit often in order to keep
as much dirt as possible, from being introduced back on to the paint.
While car washing be sure to get the door jams, the area outlining the
trunk and up under the hood in that hood pocket outlining the engine.
Its
important to wash the car completely from top down, as the bottom is
alway the dirtiest, as well as under the hood area so do those last.
Preferably with a different Wash mit either way remember not to
introduce a dirty wash mit back on to the paint.Drying The Car
I
like to use a Dual Pile Microfiber towel to dry the car with. Starting
with the windows first, go ahead and dry the car off. Then after you get
the windows. Start drying from top down like you washed the car. Do the
door jams, and Trunk lid, and under the hood, after you have dried all
the other panels of the car like we talked about.
That way we
continually eliminate the chance for scratches and swirl marks while you
are car washing. If washing the car in the sunlight try not to let the
water dry on you, or it will leave water spots. So do the car washing
out of direct sunlight if at all possible.
You want more great car detailing secrets? Come visit us at Auto-Detailings.com for all your car care needs.

K.M.Dodd is a car enthusiast, and an experienced auto
detailer with over twelve years in the field of automotive detailing.
Auto-detailings.com [http://www.auto-detailings.com] is a growing
compilation of his knowledge and expertise. At Auto-detailings.com
[http://www.auto-detailings.com] you can read up to date content-rich
quality information in an easy to understand style. Written for the Do
It Yourself Detailer